1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to beverage dispensers and more particularly to a cup locator for properly positioning a variety of different sizes of cups under and relative to the transducer of an ultrasonic automatic cup filling system of a beverage dispenser.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to provide a cup locator for properly positioning a variety of different sizes of cups on a cup rest below a beverage dispenser valve assembly, as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,792. However, when different sizes of cups are pushed into abutting contact with the prior art "V" shaped cup locator, the bottom edges and thus the lips of the cups may be in different locations, over an unacceptably large range, in the front to back direction, with respect to the nozzle. This creates a problem with respect to certain types of beverage dispensing valve assemblies, for example, those that use an automatic cup filling device of the type using ultrasonic energy transmitted down from an ultrasonic transducer and using ultrasonic energy reflected back up from a cup lip and from the inside of the cup to the transducer located adjacent the nozzle, and those that use portion controls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,658,872 further attempts to solve this problem by providing a cup locator which includes a straight rear wall and a pair of spaced-apart, straight angled side walls, one at each end of the rear wall and each at an obtuse angle to the rear wall. However, this cup locator does not limit the placement of a cup by the operator. Accordingly, if the cups are not pushed completely back against the straight wall, the bottom-edges and thus the lips of the cups may be in different locations, over an unacceptably large range in the front to back direction, with respect to the nozzle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a cup locator that is not subject to the disadvantages of the prior art cup locators.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cup locator that can properly position a large variety of different sizes of cups below a valve assembly of a beverage dispenser.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a cup locator that will position the rear edge of the bottoms of cups of different sizes at the same identical position with respect to the nozzle of a beverage dispenser valve assembly, and which will also position the lips within an acceptable range of positions with respect to the transducer.
It is another object of the present invention to limit the placement of the cup by the operator.